Process and machine for packaging stockings and other articles



Dec. 13, 1966 J BRINCK ET AL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES? Filed April 5, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS KN57' I EMA/@k xfl d m, @Ma, W21 T'M.

ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1 966 BRLNCK ETAL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April 5, 1963 9 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTORS ERA/.57 J BR} lv k WTlM/us J M. PRisM M W, M WM ATTORNEYS Decn 13, 1966 y BRlNCK ETAL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April 5, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ERA/Jr I Bg'wck AMT/20m ns If) PR'JEM $1M M v M ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1966 E, BR|NK ET AL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April S, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ERA/67' Bren/ck fi/vrkmw'us IN. PQ IEM ,Jmm, M, Tm

ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1966 J BRINCK ET AL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April 5, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ERNST I BRiNck ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1966 J BRlNCK ET AL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April 5, 1965 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS [fi/vm' J. Bmmck ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1966 5. BRINCK ETAL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April 5, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS [RA/57' I BRi/vck fiuria/v/izs TM fivim ATTORNEYS Dec. 13, 1966 E. BRlNcK ETAL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April 5, 196:5 9 Sheets-Sheet a INVENTORS Eli/MST J BRi/vck p/vfialw us I. PRiEM MJWQMVM ATTORNEY 5 Dec. 13, 1966 J BRlNCK ETAL 3,290,855

PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Filed April 3, 1963 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTORS rT/VST I BRA/ck flA rla/ukzs J77 PM! 1%, 17%, M v%@ ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,290,855 PROCESS AND MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND OTHER ARTICLES Ernst Jan Brinck and Anthonius Johannes M. Priem, Haarlem, Netherlands, assignors to Kousenfabrieken Hin N.V., Haarlem, Netherlands, a corporation of Dutch law Filed Apr. 3, 1963, Ser. No. 270,460 Claims priority, application Netherlands, Oct. 8, 1962, 284,095; Jan. 7, 1963, 287,479 13 Claims. (Cl. 5321) The invention relates to a process for packaging stockings and other articles, in which the article to be packaged is folded and a wrapper is fitted about it.

Stockings and similar articles so far used to be packaged by hand, usually by women, because in view of their limp and delicate character they can hardly be handled mechanically. Thus it is not very well possible to handle them by means of air, because stockings are highly permeable to air.

The invention furnishes a process according to which stockings and similar articles can be packaged mechanically in that a sheet of paper or the like is laid on the article to be folded, air is subsequently sucked off underneath the article, and the article is folded mechanically about the sheet of paper that is held in place by air.

The invention also relates to a packaging machine for the performance of the above process, and according to the invention this machine comprisesa table furnished with suction apertures, a feeding mechanism for separate sheets of paper or the like mounted above it, and a set of folding rods movable practically in the plane of the table and transverse to their longitudinal direction, which rods are mounted in such a way that they are able to move over the sheet of paper or the like that has been fed.

The invention is based on the principle that a sheet of paper laid on the pair of stockings or the like can be held in place by air sucked through the stockings and that this air thus at the same time holds the underlying portion of the article to be packaged in such a way that the portions of the article to be packaged extending beyond the edges of the paper can be folded mechanically about the sheet of paper with the aid of folding rods or similar members.

The packaging machine according to the invention furthermore may comprise a device for automatically printing on the package, simultaneously with the folding operation, the correct length of the article to be packaged. For this purpose the folding table may be equipped at one end with a fixed abutment and at the other end with a series of push buttons at regularly increasing distances from the fixed abutment, while a printing device is present which is actuated by the push buttons and prints the distance from the particular depressed push button to the abutment on the package to indicate the length of the article. The push buttons thus serve at the same time as an index of length.

As the articles folded about the sheet of paper are still hard to handle mechanically, the machine according to the invention subsequently provides a wrapper about the folded article, and in this wrapper the article can be conveyed further.

The invention is now explained more fully with reference to the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of the whole packaging machine.

FIG. 2 shows a front elevation of it.

FIG. 3 shows a side elevation of the folding device.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of a part of the folding table.

FIG. 5 showsthe same part of the folding table, with a pair of stockings stretched out thereon.

3,290,855 Patented Dec. 13, 1966 FIG. 6 shows the same part with a partly folded pair of stockings and a sheet of paper laid thereon.

FIG. 7 shows the same part with the completely folded pair of stockings.

FIG. 8 shows a part of the folding device in side elevation, with the supporting plate raised, the members engaging the folded article being indicated in bolder lines.

FIG. 9 is a corresponding front elevation.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section corresponding to FIG. 8, in which the folded article is kept in readiness for delivery.

FIG. 11 is a corresponding bottom view.

FIG. 12 is a top view, corresponding to FIG. 4, of a different embodiment.

The packaging machine 1 has a table top 11, in front of which the packer may sit and on which are laid the stockings A or similar articles to be packaged, In the middle of the table top 11 is a recessed part 12, in which the various folding members are located (FIG. 4). To the left of the recessed part 12 has been provided a fixed abutment ledge 13 and to the right of the recessed part 12 is a series of push buttons 14, the purpose of which will be described below. Between the recessed part 12 and the seat of the packer are two more push buttons 15 and 16, which, to protect the packers hands, have to be pushed simultaneously to put the machine into operation.

In the recessed part 12 of the table top 11 are two series of suction nozzles 17 and 18 at some distance from each other, and located between them is a vertically movable supporting plate 19 which in the position of rest is flush with the recessed part 12 of the table top 11, and can be raised to a considerable height above it. The plate 19 has also been provided with a number of suction nozzles 20. To the right of the nozzles 18, seen from the packers seat, near the end of the recessed part 12, is located a folding rod 21 of polished metal, which can be moved to the left transversely to its longitudinal direction with the aid of a driving arm 2.3 extending down through a slot 22 in the table, in such a way that it passes close above the suction nozzles 18, 20, and 17. Located to the left of the suction nozzles 17 is a shorter folding rod 24, which can be moved to the right with the aid of a driving arm 25 extending down through the slot 22, in such a way that it moves close above the foremost nozzles of the series 17, 20, and 18. The movements of the folding rods 21 and 24 are timed to each other so that first the folding rod 21 performs a reciprocating stroke and immediately afterwards the folding rod 24 performs a reciprocating stroke. On the driving arm 23 of the folding rod 21 is also fitted a roller 26, which during the movement of the folding rod 21 travel over the printing ribbon 27, which is located transversely in front of the series of suction nozzles and is advanced a short distance, with each Working stroke of the machine in the way of a typewriter ribbon. Underneath the table top the endless ribbon 27 passes over reversing rollers, so that the ribbon can always move in the same direction. At

the rear left of the recessed part 12 a fin 28 is present,

which is able to pivot about its point of attachment 29, which movement takes place simultaneously with the movement to the right of the folding rod 24. In front of the fin 28 is a vertical rod 30, which is fastened eccentrically at 31, so that its position can be slightly adjusted. In front of the folding rod 21 a triangular protective plate 32 is present.

Behind the recessed part 12 of the table top 11 are mounted the devices for feeding a sheet of paper or a wrapper respectively to the folding table. Close behind the recessed part 12 is a tray 33 (FIG. 3), which contains a pile of sheets of paper B and is adapted to perform an up-and-down movement. An arm 34, which is mounted in an inclined position above the tray 33, carries at the front end a number of suction nozzles 35, which ii! in the position of rest of the arm 34 lie above the tray 33, while the tray 33 is able to move up until the topmost sheet of paper near its front edge contacts the suction nozzles 35. The arm 34 is able to move longitudinally in such a way that the suction nozzles 35 bring the sheet of paper held by them, exactly above the series of suction nozzles 17, 18, and 20 in the recessed part 12 of the table top 11. The position of the sheet of paper on these nozzles is indicated by a bold line in FIG. 3.

Located at some height above the tray 33 is a container 36 for a pile of wrapper C, each of which consists of a sheet of paper or the like, the two narrow ends of which are folded so as to form flaps, while the broad sides are not folded. The container 36 is open on the underside which has two narrow lateral supporting ledges 37, on which the broad sides of the wrappers rest. A vertically reciprocating arm 38, is mounted adjacent the tray 33 and has a laterally projecting suction tube 39, on which are fitted suction nozzles 40'. The arm 38 is able to move up until the suction nozzles 40 contact the lowermost wrapper in the container 36 so that they can draw this wrapper by suction from the container 36.

Underneath the container 36 and above the supporting plate 19 extends a reciprocating transfer device, which comprises two juxtaposed rods 41 (FIGS. 1 and 3) at such a distance from each other that the suction nozzles 40 can move up and down between them and a wrapper drawn from the container 36 by the suction nozzles 40 will remain on the rod 41 of the transfer device. Towards the front, i e. in the direction of the seat of the packer, the rods 41 bend apart, so that their foremost ends are at a distance from each other which is nearly equal to the length of a wrapper. In the angle between the rearmost portion of each of the rods 41 and their inclined transitional portion a plate 42 is fitted in the plane of the rods 41. The rods 41 are fitted to horizontally movable supporting rods 43, so that the foremost portion of the rods 41, which normally lies above the recessed part 12 of the table 11, can be moved back until it can receive a wrapper, lips 44 fastened to the frame serving as arresting members for the wrapper.

Underneath the printing ribbon 27 in FIG. 3 the printing device is visible, which consists of a number of juxtaposed printing bars 45 with symbols on the top, one of which bars can be seen in the drawing and each of which can be raised by means of a coil 46 until they come into contact with the printing ribbon 27, each of the coils 46 being electrically coupled with one of the push buttons of series 14.

Above the foremost portion of the transfer device 41- 43 is located a first pair of grippers 47, which grippers can oscillate in the plane of the drawing (FIGS. 2 and 9), and the bent lowermost portions of which engage underneath an article which is kept in readiness by the raised supporting plate 19. Each of the grippers 47 consists of a bent wire (FIG. 11) and is fastened to a rod 48, which is positively oscillated. A second pair of grippers 49 oscillates under spring action in a plane perpendicular to the plane in which the first grippers 47 oscillate, and the second pair of grippers 49 can also engage beneath the article that is kept in readiness, without coming into contact with the grippers 47 (FIG. 11). The two grippers 49 are coupled with each other and are kept in the opened position by a projection 50, which is connected with the shaft of the foremost gripper 49 and rests against the transfer device 41-43. When the transfer device moves towards the container 36, the projection 50 is disengaged and the grippers 49 will close under the action of the spring 51. Resting on the transfer device 41-43 is also the projection 52 of an arresting member 54, which is able to oscillate about its shaft analogously to the grippers 49 under the action of a spring 53, when the transfer device moves to the right (FIG. 3). The arresting member 54, which is also formed of wire, lies at a given distance above the transfer device, approximately at the same level as the lower portion of a pair of chain conveyors 55, each of which is equipped with a catch 56. The operative part of the arresting member is located longitudinally between the two chain conveyors and prevents the bulging of the raised folded article.

To the right of the sets of grippers 47 and 49, adjoining the chain conveyors 55, is a guide plate 57, on to which the folded article can be pushed by the catches 56 of the chain conveyors 55. In the middle the guide plate has a longitudinal slot, and adjoining it to the right is a slideway 58. The folded article is guided into the slideway 58 by means of a rotary striking member 59, which is mounted on the same shaft with the driving wheels 60 of the chain conveyors 55. The chains 55 have twice the length of the circumference of the driving wheels 60, so that with every two revolutions of the striking member 59 the catches 56 move 'once above the guide plate 57. As the striking member 59 is longer than the radius of the driving wheels 60, its end has a greater velocity than the catches 56. The position of the striking member 59 is so chosen that when the pair of catches 56 moves above the guide plate 57, they are just overtaken by the striking member 59', which moves through the slot of the plate 57 and between the two supporting rods 61 of the slideway 58.

As has been said, the slideway 58 consists of two supporting rods 61, of which the first, right-hand portion extends semi-circularly upward (concentrically with the driving wheels 60), while adjoining its topmost point is a portion inclined obliquely down, towards the left. About the semi-circular portion of the supporting rods 61 are provided two guide rods 62, while side plates 63 are provided vertically on the outside of the rods 61. The slideway 58 ends at approximately the same level as the folding table 11.

The apparatus described above operates as follows:

In the position of rest of the apparatus, between two successive operations, the components of the folding device 1 are in the position shown in FIG. 3 (the arm 34 is in the position indicated by full lines). No sheet of paper B is present on the supporting plate 19, there is no wrapper C on the foremost portions of the rods 41, and there is no air sucked through the nozzles 17, 18, and 20. The package folded during the preceding operation lies on the first pair of grippers 47, which is in the closed position, The suction nozzles 35 hold a sheet of paper B with the aid of suction air and the suction nozzles 40 hold, with the aid of suction air, a wrapper C resting on the rearmost portions of the rods 41. If the apparatus is started without the presence of a paper B or a wrapper C in the places described above, it is necessary for the apparatus. first to perform a dead stroke, i e., without a pair of stockings being packaged.

A pair of stockings A is laid down on the folding table 11 in such a way that the welts lie against the abutment 13 and the legs extend over the plate 19 in the direction of the push buttons 14 (see FIG. 5). Dependent on the length of the leg, the heel of the stocking will lie near one out of the series of push buttons 14, and as the packer puts down the stockings she depresses the button out of the series 14 near which the heel 'lies. Each of the push buttons 14 is electrically connected to one of the coils 46, and when a push button is depressed, a printing bar 45 is raised and arrested in the raised position. The raised printing bar 45 bears embossed figures corresponding to the length of the leg of the stocking, e.g., 84 cm. There are, for instance, seven push buttons 14 and the corresponding printing bars then bear, for instance, the numbers 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 92, and 94. When a push button 14 is depressed, at the same time a second printing bar is raised, which bears the embossed letters cm on its top. Instead, a printing bar with the letters cm may also be provided in a fixed position.

The packer subsequently folds back the lower portion of the stockings A by hand (FIG. 6), which can be done practically in the same movement with the depression of one of the buttons 14. If desired, the manual folding of the lower portion can be replaced by a mechanical folding means, but the saving of time achieved by this is not great.

The packer subsequently depresses the two buttons 15 and 16 (FIG. 4), as a result of which the main shaft of the device makes one revolution and the operations now to be described are carried out successively.

The arm 34 moves with the sheet of paper B held by it to the foremost position (indicated in FIG. 3 by a line of dots and dashes). As soon as the arm 34 has reached the foremost position, the action of the air sucked via the nozzles 35 is interrupted and the sheet of paper drops on to the pair of stockings lying on the supporting plate 19. FIG. 6 shows the sheet of paper B lying on the stockings. At the same time the air begins to act via the nozzles 17 and 18 through the pair of stockings on the sheet of paper, so as to hold this in place. The arm 34 returns to its rearmost position.

The folding rod 21 (FIG. 4) performs a reciprocating stroke, as a result of which the portion of the stockings A which first extended to the right beyond the edge of the sheet of paper B and rested on the rod 21 (see FIG. 6) is folded back on the sheet of paper. The folding rod 24 then performs a reciprocating stroke, as a result of which the portion of the pair of stockings extending to the left beyond the sheet of paper, which first rested on the rod 24, is folded back on the other portion of the pair of stockings, already laid on the sheet of paper. The portion of the pair of stockings which extends to the left slides past the vertical rod 30 and is thus folded forwards (towards the packer), with the aid of the fin 28 simultaneously pivoting inwards. As the arm 25 moves towards the right the pivoting depressing rod 25a is moved above the edge of the central portion of the pair of stockings, the depressing rod 25a thus helping to determine the correct position of the fold to be made. As the folding rod 21 moves towards the left the printing roller 26 has moved over the printing ribbon 27 and the inscription 84 and cm respectively on the printing bars 45, resting against the underside of the printing ribbon, have been printed on the underside of the sheet of paper, along its front edge. The printing ribbon 27 is moved one step further and the printing bars 45 are retracted. FIG. 7 shows the situation as it has now become.

Meanwhile the rods 41 have moved backwards, in consequence of which the wrapper C, which rested on the rearmost portions of the rods 41 and is arrested by the lips 44, comes to rest on the foremost portions of the rods 41. The flaps of the wrapper C are opened by the plates 42, lying in the transitional portions between the narrow and the wide portions of the rods 41, which penetrate between the wrapper and its flaps, and the flaps are kept in the downwardly directed position by a downwardly directed projection 41a provided on each of the rods 41 (FIG. 3).

In consequence of the backward movement of the rods 41 the projections 50 and 52 are disengaged, so that the pair of grippers 49 closes under the action of the spring 51 and the arresting member 54 moves up under the action of the spring 53. The grippers 49 engage with the longitudinal edges of the package formed during the preceding operation (consisting of a pair of stockings A folded about a sheet of paper B and a wrapper C fitted about it), which rests on the grippers 47, and lift the package (FIG. until it is within the reach of the catches 56 of the chains 55, unobstructed by the arresting member 54 that moves out of the way. In each operation the driving wheel of the chains 55 performs two full revolutions, and meanwhile the pair of catches 56 has approached the package and takes this package along towards the right (FIG. 2) on to the plate 57. The striking member 59 has first performed a dead stroke, and with its second stroke its end abuts against the rear of the package taken along by the catches 56, in consequence of which it is raised through the semi-circular portion of the slideway 58 and arrives on the obliquely inclined portion of the slideway in the reverse position, i.e. its wrapper rests on the supporting rods 61 and the flaps lie at the top of the package. In this position the package slides from the slideway to a receiving station, of e.g. a device for inserting the package into a bag.

Meanwhile the action on the wrapper C of the suction air via the suction nozzles 40 has been interrupted and the rods 41 with the wrapper C resting on their foremost portions have returned to the foremost position. The wrapper C then assumes the position shown in FIG. 3 and the projections 50 and 52 are pushed up again, so that the grippers 49 and the arresting member 54 reach the position of rest again. The grippers 47 also return to the opened position. The supply of air via the nozzles 17 and 18 is stopped, and air is supplied via the nozzles 20 in the supporting plate 19.

The supporting plate 19 moves up from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 8, and thus brings the pair of stockings A folded about the sheet of paper B, between the two transfer rods 41 against the underside of the wrapper C, while the wrapper itself is lifted by it until its flaps are disengaged from the transfer rods 41. The first couple of grippers 47 closes (FIG. 9) and folds the flaps of the wrapper against the underside of the pair of stockings folded about the sheet of paper. Excessive bending of the package thus formed is prevented by the arresting member 54 located above the package (FIG. 8). The supply of air via the nozzles 20 is stopped and the supporting plate 19 moves down again.

Meanwhile the tray 33 (FIG. 3) has moved up and the air begins to act via the nozzles 35 to grip the uppermost sheet of paper B from the tray 33, after which the tray 33 moves down again. Simultaneously the arm 38 (FIG. 3) has moved up and the suction nozzles 40 connected therewith have sucked the lowermost wrapper C from the container 36, after which the arm 38 moves down again. The lowermost wrapper C has thus been disengaged from the supporting ledges 37 of the container 36 and rests on the rearmost, narrow portions of the transfer rods 41, after which the suction is maintained to prevent shifting of the wrapper. Now the position of rest of the folding device 1 has been reached again and it is ready for the next operation.

FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the members for folding inwards the topmost lateral portion of the pair.

of stockings to be packaged, in which this portion is folded back in a direction opposite to that shown in FIG. 7. According to this embodiment, a series of openings 22a, to which are connected conduits for compressed air, are provided between the abutment ledge 13 and the adjacent edge of the recessed part 12. The openings 22a form blowing nozzles and they lie in a line which is substantially perpendicular to the folding rod 24, near the rearmost portion of the folding rod 24. Approximately in the point where the said line intersects the folding rod 24, a curled elevation 23a is fitted on the folding rod 24, said elevation preferably consisting of a piece of wire of polished metal welded to the rod 24. The blowing nozzles 22a and the curl 23a together form the members for folding inwards the lateral portion of the upper part of the stockings. This portion is broader than the remaining portion of the stockings and has to be folded inwards if the width of the package is to be limited.

When in the way illustrated in FIG, 12 a pair of stockings A has been laid on the folding table 11, and the device has been put into operation, air leaves the nozzles 22a, in consequence of which the uppermost lateral portion of the pair of stockings is folded forwards, i.e. towards the packer. Next the lowermost portion of the pair of stockings A is folded back upon its central portion by the folding rod 21 and then the uppermost portion of the pair of stockings A is folded back on to the previously folded portion by the folding rod 24. During this latter action the curl 23a ensures that the border portion of the stocking folded forwards cannot return to its original position and consequently continues to be folded inwards. After the folding of the uppermost portion of the stocking the turned back border portion lies between the folded lowermost portion and the folded uppermost portion of the stocking, i.e. turned inwards, and consequently the turned-back portion is not visible.

What we claim is:

1. A method for packaging stockings and like air permeable articles in which the article to be packed is folded and a wrapper fitted about it comprising the steps of placing the article on a work surface, placing a sheet of paper on said article, exerting a suction force through the pervious article to the sheet laid on said article, and folding said article about the sheet which is held in place by the suction force.

2. A packaging machine for packaging stockings and like air permeable articles comprising a folding table having a working surface furnished with suction means, means for feeding separate sheets of impervious material to said working surface, folding rod means movable in the longitudinal plane of the table, said rods being mounted in such a way that they are able to move over the sheet of paper held in place by the suction means on said working surface.

3. A machine according to claim 2 further comprising a tray for sheets of paper, said tray being adapted for an up-and-down movement, an arm furnished with suction nozzles disposed above said tray, said arm being mounted in an inclined position such that, upon actuation thereof in its longitudinal direction, it Withdraws a sheet of paper from said 'tray and places it on said Working surface.

4. A machine according to claim 2 in which the table has a recessed part, in which the suction nozzles have been furnished and in which the sheet of paper can be received, while near the recessed part have been fitted guide members which fold the article to be packaged inwards as it moves past.

5. A machine according to claim 2 in which the rfolding table is furnished on one side with a fixed abutment and on the other side with a series of push buttons at regularly increasing distances from the fixed abutment, while a printing device is present which is actuated by the push buttons so as to print on the package the distance from the particular depressed push button to the abutment to indicate the length of the article.

6. A machine according to claim in which one of the folding rods is fitted with a printing roller which travels over a printing ribbon placed on the table, while underneath the printing ribbon have been fitted a series of printing bars, which can be raised selectively into an operative position by depression of the push buttons.

7. A machine according to claim 2 in which a Wrapper conveying device can keep in readiness a wrapper at a given distance above the folding table, and in which the table underneath the site for the sheet of paper is provided with a supporting plate which can be raised and is able to move the article and the sheet of paper upwards until it rests against the wrapper.

8. A machine according to claim 7, further comprising a container for folded wrappers, with two narrow supporting ledges for supporting the edges of the wrappers an arm furnished with suction nozzles and able to move up and down to draw the lowermost wrapper from the container, and a horizon-tally movable transfer member, comprising a tapering portion with edges for spreading the flaps of the wrappers, which transfer member is able to support the wrapper taken from the container and to move it over the table.

9. A machine according to claim 7, in which above the supporting plate are fitted two pairs of grippers perpendicular to each other, of which the first pair is able to fold the flaps of the wrapper against the underside of the article lying on the raised plate, while the second pair of grippers is able to lift the unit formed by the wrapper, the paper and the article until it is within the reach of catches on a chain conveyor mounted above it.

10. A machine according to claim 9, in which at least one of the pairs of grippers is spring loaded and is kept in an inoperative position by a projection which rests against the wrapper conveying device in the position of rest.

11. A machine according to claim 9, in which an upwardly movable arresting member mounted above the pairs of grippers is present for depressing the article.

12. A machine according to claim '9, in which the chain conveyor cooperates with a slideway for the arrticle to be packaged, which slideway forms a vertical loop for reversing the article, while a striking member is present which is able to strike against the rear of the article fed by the chain conveyor in order to bring it into the slideway.

13. A machine according to claim 4-, in which the guide members for folding inwards the lateral portion of the article to be packaged consist of a series of blowing nozzles, which have been fitted in the table near the rear end of one of the folding rods and on the outside of the working area of the latter along a line transverse to the folding rod axis, and of a curl-shaped projection on the folding rod, fitted in line with the blowing nozzles.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1962 Cloots ,53-38 X FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

P. H. POHL, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A PACKAGING MACHINE FOR PACKAGING STOCKINGS AND LIKE AIR PERMEABLE ARTICLES COMPRISING A FOLDING TABLE HAVING A WORKING SURFACE FURNISHED WITH SUCTION MEANS, MEANS FOR FEEDING SEPARATE SHEETS OF IMPERVIOUS MATERIAL TO SAID WORKING SURFACE, FOLDING ROD MEANS MOVABLE IN THE LONGITUDINAL PLANE OF THE TABLE, SAID RODS BEING MOUNTED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO MOVE OVER THE SHEET OF PAPER HELD IN PLACE BY THE SUCTION MEANS ON SAID WORKING SURFACE. 